Ms. Howard-Canning provides executive leadership for nursing services across the University of Vermont Health Network, guiding systemwide nursing strategy, practice alignment, workforce planning, quality and safety, financial stewardship and technology enablement. A member of the health network’s executive leadership team, she works closely with partner CNOs, CMOs and hospital presidents to ensure nursing teams are equipped to deliver consistent, coordinated and high-quality care across a large rural service area serving more than a million people. Under her leadership, UVM Health Network developed a comprehensive nursing strategic plan focused on workforce stabilization, professional practice environments, informatics advancement and care delivery redesign. She strengthened nursing professional governance and invested in leadership development, contributing to a 60% reduction in reliance on contingent nursing labor and registered nurse turnover below 10% for two consecutive years. Ms. Howard-Canning also designed a systemwide patient experience governance structure to improve alignment and performance.
